Netanyahu vets possible Romney VP

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio under consideration as Romney’s running mate

[L]ast Tuesday, [Ohio Senator Rob] Portman boarded a commercial jet in his hometown of Cincinnati and flew to Tel Aviv. The purpose? Back-to-back meetings Thursday with the two most powerful politicians in Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

No other senators were present in the meetings. No members of the U.S. House. The only American to accompany Portman was the U.S. ambassador to Israel.

And though Portman and his staff did not announce the visit until after the meetings, the Israeli government went out of its way beforehand to leak the news that the meetings were on the prime minister’s schedule.

Each story written in advance prominently noted that Portman is under consideration by Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney to be his vice presidential running mate.

…….

That type of speculation prompted Portman’s people to reply that they are shocked — shocked! — to hear that anybody would think he made the trip because of vice presidential politics.

This story was covered by multiple media sources last week. Not one zeroed in on the bizarreness of Netanyahu vetting these guys. It might occur to ask why the VP candidates are being vetted in Israel. Nope.

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Annie Robbins is Editor at Large for Mondoweiss, a mother, a human rights activist and a ceramic artist. She lives in the SF bay area. Follow her on Twitter @anniefofani

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Emperor Bibi has every right to vet the potential vice-regent of his westernmost colony! He needs to ensure there’s no interruption in his rightful tax revenues, and that the colonials will be ready and willing to die for the security of his throne!
He’s gotta show these people who’s boss from the get go!

Not a one of the recent stories about the U.S. and Israel having been responsible for Stuxnet — at least none that I have seen — has stopped to ask what American interest was promoted by taking this step so dangerous to the American economy and people in order to stop the alleged Iranian nuclear weapons program.

at least none that I have seen — has stopped to ask what American interest was promoted by taking this step so dangerous to the American economy and people in order to stop the alleged Iranian nuclear weapons program.

The Obama administration, as part of its reelection campaign, is leaking details of half-secret operations to friendly journalists. These leaks are released to make it look as if Obama were personally and in detail involved in operational decisions. The tactical results of these operations are described as successful, but their strategic outcome are rather important setbacks.

………

Today the New York Times publishes a piece by propagandist David Sanger about the Stuxnet virus the U.S. and Israel unleashed against Iran’s enrichment program. Like the one on drones it is full of spin that makes Obama look very involved in the day to day details of a clandestine operation:

……….

The campaign may well be effective in portraying Obama as The Decider daily involved in keeping U.S. safe. But what it really portraits is an Obama who is fixated on tactical level operations which at the same time generate serious strategic set backs.

i think this may be a case of US/IS making a strategic decision to appear unified wrt iran as opposed to the overall image of obama trying to hold israel back from an attack.

MY COMMENT: Apparently Netanyhu has eliminated the middleman (AIPAC) – at least as to the GOP.

FROM THE TRANSCRIPT OF A TELEPHONE CALL IN 1992 INVOLVING DAVID STEINER, AIPAC’S PRESIDENT AT THE TIME (POSTED ON M.J.
ROSENBERG’S BLOG):

(excerpt)…HAIM KATZ: “If Clinton is elected, has he told you who he’s going to put on the Supreme Court?”
DAVID STEINER AIPAC: “We’re talking now. We don’t have no commitments yet. We’re just negotiating. We’re more interested right now, in the secretary of state and the secretary of National Security Agency. That’s more important to us.”
HAIM KATZ: “If Clinton is elected, who do you think will be secretary of state?”DAVID STEINER AIPAC: “We don’t know yet, we’re negotiating.”
HAIM KATZ: “Who are you hoping for?”DAVID STEINER AIPAC: “I’ve got a list. But I really can’t go through it. I’m not allowed to talk about it.”
HAIM KATZ: “But you figure, God willing, if Clinton’s elected . . .”
DAVID STEINER AIPAC: “We’ll have access.”
HAIM KATZ: “You’ll have access and you’ll have a good input into who’s secretary of state.”
DAVID STEINER AIPAC: “I do believe so.”
HAIM KATZ: “And the other position is. . .”DAVID STEINER AIPAC: “National security adviser.”
HAIM KATZ: “Those are the two critical positions.”
DAVID STEINER AIPAC: “Right.”

Same thing happened to Sarah Palin in ’08. Previously she was a Pat Buchanan enthusiast, but that had to be dropped like a hot-potato, as Randy Scheunemann and Michael Goldfarb prepped her for her public appearances. A year ago she got back to her roots, though, ditching Scheunemann and Goldfarb from her PAC.

I smell another Bush/Gore swindle right down to the Supreme Court telling the American people who gets to be President again. I hope all hell breaks loose and the whole thing blows up in their face. Long overdue.

Anyone out there having nightmares about Israeli submarines armed with
nukes roaming around? Martin Van Creveld has some thoughts on the matter.
Given past performances in Gaza, Lebanon, is it sayonara time?

Portman, the ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee’s Emerging Threats and Capabilities subcommittee, said he met with Israeli leaders to discuss a missile defense program.

“In Israel, Iron Dome is something I’ve been pushing. I got to see Iron Dome firsthand,” he said of the missile defense program. “I also got to meet with Defense Minister Barak and Netanyahu and others. It’s really the oversight responsibility of Armed Services.”

Both staffs deny their bosses’s trips have anything to do with vice presidential ambitions.

LMAO. Sure. Whatever you say, hasbarist. It’s totally believable that Portman — a typical neo-con Bushie, who favors rich over poor and who, disgustingly, wants push the evil scourge of prayer onto the (appropriately secular!) WWII memorial — is being vetted by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, because, you know, the Reich Wing in the US cares SOOO much what Muslims thing of them.

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